Struggling with Home warranty company over evap coil, plenum, etc, please advise!

My home warranty company has been coming out pretty much every year for the last six years and refilling my a/c unit with freon, telling me that that was normal for a/c units. Finally this year it froze up and won't hold any freon, so they said it had a leak in the evaporator coil, coil must be replaced. The catch is, the old coil is a Goodman coil that is 21 inches by 21 inches, and the a/c service company says that they can't find one to match it the same size (I called Goodman and they don't make the exact same serial # coil anymore, although it looks like they make coils that are 21 by 21...they wouldn't tell me yes or no on that, said they needed more info.)

Because the proposed coil is 21 by 26, the plenum would also have to be replaced. Home warranty says this is a modification, thus they don't cover it. They also said that Houston code requires 165.00 worth of hardcast adhesive, and 175.00 worth of new access panels. Home warranty says that, although the repairs cannot be made without these things because of the code, they won't pay for things required by code. This seems really crappy to me. Why do I buy home warranty insurance???

So after paying for home warranty insurance for six years under the scare tactic of "what if your a/c breaks", now that is has broken...I got a situation where I can only get if fixed if I pony up almost a thousand dollars first. Oh yeah, things like "installation upgrade" for 65.00 were added and 90.00 for emergency drain pan...I already had those taken off, the a/c company admitted I didn't really need those things after all.

Anyone know what the Houston code is on these things? (I am not really sure where to look, and seriously I am not tech savvy enough to know what the heck I am reading, I only understand the very basics of HVAC systems). I need to get the most taken off this bill as possible, money is very tight, we had three huge family emergencies in the last four months and I am tapped out. Thanks all!

Struggling with Home warranty company over evap coil, plenum, etc, please advise!

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Struggling with Home warranty company over evap coil, plenum, etc, please advise!

Ok guess I wasn't clear exactly how clueless I am...I know you can call somebody, but who? What department of government has building codes, specifically a/c codes, and will they answer my questions over the phone? Or can I download code sections on the net? I am pretty sure they won't just read me pages of code, so is there a general section that I should be asking about? the ummm...evaporator and plenum section. And the hardcast and access panel section?

I am a decorative artist by trade, definitely not a hvac expert! But if you need advice about gold leaf or painting or any sort of surface embellishment or repair or even fine art, I'm your expert!

Struggling with Home warranty company over evap coil, plenum, etc, please advise!

Where I am it is called "Mechanical and Engineering" in the Gov't Blue Pages. Upgrades to meet new codes happen all the time and the homeowner has to pay for them. Happens with chimneys etc. Nothing you can do about it. I have not ever heard anything good about those home warranties and have heard LOTS of complaints about them. Maybe better off w/o them. Some lenders won't give you a mortgage w/o one.

Struggling with Home warranty company over evap coil, plenum, etc, please advise!

Struggling with Home warranty company over evap coil, plenum, etc, please advise!

The code is for new construction. they simply use this excuse to get more money from you. I never trust home warrenty company. I have dealed with them for more than 20 years, I always told my customer to stay away from those firms. (if you really want to fight, get a lawer, they will back down, but the problem is you want them to repair your system, if they are not happy with you, who knows what else they will do ??)

Struggling with Home warranty company over evap coil, plenum, etc, please advise!

Do you have the paperwork for the past 6 years. I wonder how much gas they will filling your system with? As you are aware of now that leak had been there the entire time and the
Ignoring that fact is the reason the coil froze in the first place. Someone has to make that coil.

You can't just add a larger evap coil they are sized for the size of your system. I would try harder to find the correct coil.